Dinners for a Year and Beyond: 02.2012

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Tenderloin

The combination of sweet, salty, and spicy has always been a favorite of mine. Add in grilled meat with a caramelized rub and tender crisp vegetables, and it is a perfect meal for me. Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Tenderloin is a quick fix meal which has all the bells and whistles for an unforgettable dinner.

If you are a fan of Asian inspired dinners and want something healthier than take out from your local Chinese restaurant, this is the meal for you. The dinner takes at most 20 minutes to prepare, and the cast of characters features pork tenderloin, snow pea pods and fresh bean sprouts. A host of seasonings give the dish a truly authentic Asian taste and include rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce and Sriracha which is a Thai hot sauce.

Print out the recipe and pick up the ingredients at the grocery store today. You will be ecstatic when you make Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Tenderloin for dinner tonight.

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Tenderloin

serves 4

for dressing --
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, sliced lengthwise and then into 2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 of small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups snow pea pods
1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, Sriracha, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Rub on pork tenderloin pieces. Grill pork for about 4 - 6 minutes per side or until pork is just cooked through. Watch closely so it does not burn. Remove from grill and place on a platter. Drizzle with the dressing.

In a saute pan, heat the sesame oil and add the red pepper and onion. Stir and cook for 3 - 5 minutes until tender crisp. Add the snow peas and bean sprouts and cook an additional 2 - 3 minutes. You want the vegetables to remain crisp but slightly tender. Add the soy sauce and toss to coat.

To serve, place some of the vegetables on each plate and top with the caramelized pork. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies!

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

Nothing compares to a home baked cookie. The aroma of peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies baking is intoxicating. It draws anxious kids and adults alike to the kitchen hoping to grab one of the first warm cookies from the oven.

With the hundreds of thousands of cookie recipes in cookbooks, magazines, on food blogs, and passed down through generations of home cooks, there is a cookie recipe that appeals to everyone. Add Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies to your list of must try cookies. With a short list of ingredients, the peanut butter, chocolate, and banana flavors shine in this chewy cookie.

Bake a batch today. The most inviting kitchen is one with a full cookie jar.

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies

adapted from this recipe from Bon Appetit, September 1999

makes about 30 (3-inch) cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar, banana, egg, baking soda, vanilla extract, and cinnamon using a standing or hand held mixer. Beat for about 3 - 4 minutes. Add the chocolate chips and mix to just combine.

Drop by rounded tablespoons of dough on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 - 11 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and still slightly soft in the middle. Cool on sheets for 2 - 3 minutes then transfer to a cooking rack. Store in an air tight container for 3 - 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Sauteed Winter Slaw with Maple Vinaigrette

Dress up a plain Jane seared chicken breast with the belle of the ball side dish of Sauteed Winter Slaw with Maple Vinaigrette. The vibrant hues of orange carrots, yellow butternut squash, green scallions and white turnips and parsnips jump out of the bowl to brighten any dinner plate. The zip of apple cider vinegar and sweetness of maple syrup highlight the light vinaigrette which is dressing the tender crisp sauteed vegetables and fruit. A unique side dish can make the most ho hum entree seem.....well....not so ho hum.

Winter Slaw with Maple Vinaigrette

makes about 6 cups

1 small butternut squash, about 1 pound, seeded and cubed
4 medium carrots, peeled
2 medium turnips, peeled
3 parsnips, peeled
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut in wedges
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 scallions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider, salt, pepper and scallions. Set aside.

Shred butternut squash, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and apples in a food processor using the medium shredding blade. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the vegetables and fruit and saute, stirring occasionally for 6 - 10 minutes, or until they are tender crisp. Place in bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly.

Note - the inspiration for the recipe came from a personal chef friend of mine. If you are in southern New Hampshire and looking for a personal chef, look up Patti Anastasia of Anastasia'sTable.

Stir Fry Udon Noodles with Beef and Broccoli

I recently spied upon a new product while strolling the aisles of my grocery store - udon noodles. The long, fat, and round Japanese noodles hold up well to a quick stir fry or as a staple in soup. Taking only minutes to prepare, they are the star of Sir Fry Udon Noodles with Beef and Broccoli.

After a quick 15 minute marinade in a sweet and salty mixture, a few slices of beef tenderloin are seared in a hot wok. Next, fresh red peppers and mushrooms along with the crisp broccoli florets take a stir fry around the pan. The udon noodles and a sauce highlighted by honey and savory oyster sauce are mixed in with the vegetables. Added back in is the beef for a final quick reheat, and the Asian noodle dish is ready to serve.

Stir Fry Udon Noodles with Beef and Broccoli

serves 4

marinade --

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar

3/4 pound beef tenderloin, thinly sliced

sauce --
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon honey

4 teaspoons peanut oil, divided

1/2 red pepper, small dice

10 button mushroom, sliced

2 cups broccoli

1 (14.2 ounce) package udon stir fry noodles

In a resealable bag, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Add the beef and marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat and add 2 teaspoons for oil. Remove the beef from the marinade and quickly sear until it just begins to brown on all sides. Remove to a bowl. Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the red pepper and mushrooms. Stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, cover pan and steam vegetables for about 2 - 3 minutes. The broccoli should remain slightly crisp and not become mushy and fall apart. Add udon noodles and sauce mixture and stir to coat. Add beef back in and stir to just reheat. Serve.